What are the rulings of prayer during travel (safari) and the conditions for shortening it?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. My dear brother/sister, Almighty Lord has made ease the basis of our religion and granted a special blessing to His servants who are traveling. It is stated in the Holy Qur'an: *"And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer..."* (Surah An-Nisa, 4/101) The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stated that shortening prayers during travel is a gift from Allah and said, *"Accept this charity that Allah has given to you."* (Muslim, Musafirin, 4) According to the Hanafi school of thought, the rulings and conditions for shortening prayers during travel are as follows: **1. Conditions for Travel (Safari):** * **Distance Condition:** The distance between the departure point and the destination must be at least 90 km (traditionally expressed as a 3-day journey). * **Duration Condition:** One must intend to stay at the destination for less than 15 days. If the intention is to stay for 15 days or more, travel status ends upon arrival at the destination. * **Crossing City Limits:** For the travel rulings to begin, one must leave the built-up area (city limits/exit) of the city they reside in. **2. Rulings and Performance of Prayers:** * **4-Rak'ah Obligatory (Fard) Prayers:** The 4-rak'ah obligatory prayers of Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha are performed as 2 rak'ahs. According to the Hanafi school, shortening prayers (qasr) while traveling is not merely a permission, but **wajib (obligatory)**. Intentionally praying 4 rak'ahs is makruh (disliked). * **Prayers That Are Not Shortened:** Fajr prayer (2 rak'ahs), Maghrib prayer (3 rak'ahs), and Witr prayer (3 rak'ahs) are performed as usual without shortening. * **Sunnah Prayers:** If there is travel rush, fatigue, or insecurity, voluntary/sunnah prayers other than fard may be omitted. However, if time permits and there is safety at the place of stay, performing the sunnah prayers is considered commendable. May Almighty Allah accept your worship and grant you safe journeys.